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Milos Raonic ends lucky loser's run at Indian Wells to reach BNP Paribas Open semifinals

The lucky loser was just a loser this time, and Milos Raonic was the one who made sure of it.

Playing a power game but changing up his strategy at times, Raonic scored an impressive 6-3, 6-4 win over Miomir Kecmanovic in a men’s quarterfinal of the BNP Paribas Open. While the loss ended a historic run for Kecmanovic, it gave Raonic another deep run into the men’s draw at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

“The conditions are good for me, especially when the sun's out,” the Canadian star said. “The court heats up a little bit. There is a good amount of jump on the court. This year it's a little bit slower than the previous years, but it allows me to take a few more swipes at a few more shots, and I can do different things with my serve that I need to get ahead in the point.”

Kecmanovic had already made history in Indian Wells this week before taking the court Thursday. He was the first lucky loser – a player who lost in qualifying but is put in the main draw when another player withdraws – to reach the quarterfinals since the Indian Wells tournament was elevated to an ATP Masters 1000 event in 1990. He also was the youngest quarterfinalist in Indian Wells since 19-year-old Michael Chang in 1991.

Belinda Bencic celebrates a point break saved during her match against Karolina Pliskova on Stadium 1 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Karolina Pliskova during her game against Belinda Bencic on Stadium 1 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Karolina Pliskova during her game against Belinda Bencic on Stadium 1 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Belinda Bencic thinks about her previous play against Karolina Pliskova on Stadium 1 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Belinda Bencic tracks down a ball during her match against Karolina Pliskova on Stadium 1 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Belinda Bencic tracks down a ball during her match against Karolina Pliskova on Stadium 1 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Belinda Bencic reacts to a bad play against Karolina Pliskova on Stadium 1 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Belinda Bencic tracks down a ball during her match against Karolina Pliskova on Stadium 1 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Belinda Bencic waves to the crowd after her game against Karolina Pliskova on Stadium 1 at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Bencic won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Milos Raonic celebrates his win against Miomir Kecmanovic on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Milos Raonic retunrs a shot to Miomir Kecmanovic on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 14, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Milos Raonic plays a backhand during his game against Miomir Kecmanovic on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Milos Raonic plays against Miomir Kecmanovic on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Milos Raonic attacks a ball during his game against Miomir Kecmanovic on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Milos Raonic celebrates a breakpoint in the second set of his game against Miomir Kecmanovic on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Milos Raonic reacts during his game against Miomir Kecmanovic on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Milos Raonic approaches the net during his game against Miomir Kecmanovic on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Milos Raonic laments a play against Miomir Kecmanovic on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Milos Raonic returns a backhand against Miomir Kecmanovic on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Miomir Kecmanovic plays against Milos Raonic t on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Miomir Kecmanovic plays against Milos Raonic t on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun

Kecmanovic didn’t waste his opportunity, winning his first three matches without dropping a set. But Kecmanovic ran into a strong player in Raonic, who had defeated Kecmanovic in straight sets the last time they met in Brisbane in January. Even without one of his biggest weapons Thursday, Raonic was more than able to dominate Kecmanovic.

“Today I knew it was going to be tough. He's won his last three matches against good players,” Raonic said. “So I knew he had nothing to lose, and I had to be really disciplined with myself, and I'm happy I was able to follow through.”

The weapon missing Thursday was Raonic’s serve, normally one of the biggest in the game. Raonic knew early in the match the serve wasn’t really there in the quarterfinal.

“I did a lot of things well. I didn't serve well, I don't think, today. I don't think I was above -- I was just above 50 percent,” Raonic said. “But even when I was hitting the spots, I wasn't hitting them that well. That's something I'm going to spend a little bit more time on tomorrow. I think that can get better.”

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Milos Raonic attacks a ball during his game against Miomir Kecmanovic on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 12, 2019. Raonic won the quarterfinal match 6-3, 6-4. (Photo: Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun)

Raonic, who said he was unaware Kecmanovic was a lucky loser, raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set then held easily in his last two service games for the 6-3 win. The second set was nearly a replica of the first set, with Raonic getting a break to go up 4-3 and then winning his last two service games to close out the match.

Without a big serve, Raonic concentrated more and dictated points by forcing Kecmanovic to move around the court, especially from the baseline to the net.

“So many of the guys, young guys, just generation, even the generation that's been around for a while now, everybody moves extremely well laterally,” said Raonic, who is only 28. “Sometimes you can try to get glimpses of better looks by trying to bring them in a bit more. And I think that's what I was trying to do and something I'm trying to incorporate more and more into my game.”

The victory gives Raonic his best showing at Indian Wells since he lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2016 final. And it brings him closer to what he admits would be a big moment in his career, a win in an ATP 1000 Series event.

“It would be, I believe, parallel to the Wimbledon final, if not higher, just because it's going through a week among the best players in the world without sort of ending with a loss,” Raonic said.

A couple waits out the rain delay in the stands during Novak Djokovic and Philipp Kohlschreiber's third round match at the BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Calif., March 11, 2019. Zoë Meyers/The Desert Sun

A fan waits out the rain delay in the stands during Novak Djokovic and Philipp Kohlschreiber's third round match at the BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Calif., March 11, 2019. Zoë Meyers/The Desert Sun

Fans of Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime celebrates his win against Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece on Stadium One at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 9, 2019. Auger-Aliassime won their second round match in two sets 6-4, 6-2. Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun